Algae activities in Sweden

Eva Albers

Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg

Swedish Academic key partner

Algal Activities in Sweden - Summary

Academic activities

• Strong basic research in marine biology

• In applied research/algal biotechnology – small & distributed groups

• Large focus on microalgae

Industrial activities

• Few companies

• Mostly small companies

• Both micro- and macroalgae

Academic activities in algal research

Borås

SP Technical Research

Institute of Sweden

Göteborg

Chalmers, GU

Lund

LU

Umeå

SLU, UmU

Stockholm

KTH, SU

Kalmar

Linneaus University

Västerås

Mälardalen University

Uppsala

UU

Sundsvall

Mid Sweden University

Applied research

• SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden

– Susanne Ekendahl, Niklas Strömberg

– Algal cultivation on flue gas, simple and cheep cultivation systems, large scale cultivation systems

• KTH

– Fredrik Gröndahl

– System assessments of algae use

• AlbaNova University Center - KTH

– Björn Renberg

– Bioenergy from cyanobacteria

Applied research

• SLU Umeå

– Francesco Gentili

– Algal cultivation on flue gas and waste water, development unit and pilot plant with four 6-10 m3 ponds

• Linneaus University

– Catherine Legrand

– Phytoplankton products, algal productivity, algae for bioenergy

Algae projects in Chalmers

Key Actors in the Nordic Algae Network:

• Eva Albers - Industrial Biotechnology

• Ingrid Undeland - Food Science

• Our groups belong to the division of Life Sciences at department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Algae projects in Chalmers

• Microalgae flocculation

– molecular mechanisms in the cells, triggering factors (EA & Jenny Veide Vilg, cooperation with Anna Godhe, GU)

• Algal carbohydrates for bioethanol production

– link between culture conditions & cellular composition, hydrolysis methods for carbohydrates (EA & Eko Agus Suyono, Indonesia)

– algal biomass produced on waste material fermented to ethanol, link between species & fermentability (EA & Francesco Gentili, SLU Umeå)

Algae projects in Chalmers

• Integrating algal processes in Biorefinery concepts

– Process modelling of using algal cultivation as a CO2 capture and waste treatment together with fermentation and biogas processes in industrial settings (EA & Roman Hackl/Simon Harvey, Dept. Energy and Environment, Chalmers)

• Use of flue gas as C-source in algal cultivation

– Effects on growth and cellular composition by (i) model gas, (ii) collected gas (EA & Susanne Ekendahl – SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden)

Algae projects in Chalmers

• Production of long chain n-3 PUFA (EPA and DHA) using microalgae

– optimization of cultivation conditions, evaluation of mild lipid extraction techniques, advanced microscopy (CARS) as a research tool (IU & EA & Annika Enejder, Molecular Microscopy unit, Chalmers & PhD- student

• Cellular effects from brown seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) extracts subjected to gastrointestinal digestion

– MTT and antioxidant tests using Caco 2 cells (IU & Rosa Jonsdottir/Hordur Kristinsson, Matis)

Industrial activities using algae

Lysekil

N-research

Marin Biogas

Göteborg

Algi Nutrition AB

Gustavsberg

AstaReal AB

Hammenhög

SimrisAlg AB

Grebbestad

Tångbrödsspecialisten

Sydkoster

Ostrea Sverige AB

Industrial Algae activities in Sweden SimrisAlg AB - Hammenhög (www.simrisalg.se)

• Founded in 2010 by Fredrika Gullfot and Tony Fagerberg (see last algae newletter)

• New large facilities in Hammenhög in southern Sweden with 2000 m2 green house areas.

• Focus areas are production of food supplements and food ingredients (e.g. omega-3/pigments)

• The first products of SimrisAlg will be on the market in 2013, sold under their own brand

Industrial Algae activities in Sweden Astra Real AB – Gustavsberg (www.bioreal.se)

• Founded 25 years ago in Uppsala

• Owned by Fuji Chemical Industry CO, Japan.

• A research based biotech company, dedicated to the production, research and marketing of natural astaxanthin

• First commercially production of natural astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluviailis

• Have developed a unique cultivation method to yield the highest and purest form available of natural astaxanthin

• Offer both bulk ingredients for use in feed, food and dietary supplements and retail products based on natural astaxanthin

Industrial Algae activities in sweden N-research – Lysekil (www.n-research.se)

• Assists in developing and testing new technologies in the marine field.

• ten years of experience in helping customers develop products for ballast water, water filtering, environmental friendly anti-fouling paints and oily water separators.

• Uses microalgae cultures as model systems in tests of water purification

• Acts as consultants for other actors that want to grow microalgae for productions of ingredients/biogas

Marine Biogas – Lysekil (www.marinbiogas.se)

• Daughter company to N-research

• Has patented a technique for multitrophic culturing of Laminaria with sea squirts

• The biomass is then used for biogas production

Industrial Algae activities in sweden Tångbrödsspecialisten – Grebbestad (www.tangbrod.se)

• Produces hard bread with kelp Laminaria digitata

Algi Nutrition AB - Göteborg

• Studies alginates from macroalgae as blood pressure lowering agents with the aim of producing food supplements/food ingredients

• The working hypothesis is that the alginates can reduce sodium uptake from our diet

• Collaborates with Tångbrödsspecialisten in order to incorporate the alginates into bread

Ostrea Sverige AB – Sydkoster & Marstrand (www.ostrea.se)

• Produces oysters Ostrea edulis, and for this purpose also has cultivation of microalgae

Thank you for your attention!